Next Safari version will include do-not-track tool

Safari is the latest of the top four most popular browsers to receive a do-not-track privacy tool.

So far, the feature is still being tested by developers, but if everything goes according to plan, it will be included in the next version of Mac OS X (Lion) due to be released in the summer.

Of the top four most used browsers – Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Mozilla’s Firefox, Google’s Chrome and Apple’s Safari – Google is the only company that has yet to decide to add a do-not-track tool in its browser.

According to the Wall Street Journal Google says it will still be closely involved in the discussion about whether do-not-track tools should be offered with browsers, which is actually understandable since Google has a major stake in the market of online advertising.

Google’s spokesman also pointed out that the company offers an add-on for Chrome called “Keep My Opt-Outs”, which lets users request that their data not be used for targeted advertising.

Even if it seems that there is not much point for tools like these – since they only work if online advertising agencies agree to respect do-not-track requests from browsers, and the majority of them haven’t yet – I agree that the realization of the idea must start somewhere, and you can bet anything on the fact it would never have started with the advertising agencies.